<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>in another world, the jester and the councillor are dancing by penthepoet</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24446467">in another world, the jester and the councillor are dancing</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/penthepoet/pseuds/penthepoet'>penthepoet</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 4, Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff and Angst, M/M, P5R Spoilers, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, Roleswap AU, Slow Burn, Takuto Maruki's role swapped with Akiren, Tohru Adachi's roleswapped with Akechi, Will be updating tags later on, subtle Adaruki, this ship has so much POTENTIAL I'm so weirded out as to why there isn't any content for it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:01:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,624</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24446467</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/penthepoet/pseuds/penthepoet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In another world, Takuto Maruki is the Wild Card that stands against Masayoshi Shido.<br/>In that same world, Tohru Adachi is his match - his equal, the Trickster who stands in opposition.</p><p>What would their interactions be like?<br/>-<br/>Thanks to salmonandsoup for providing the motivational gift that fueled this fic!</p><p>Originally I made this for the Psience Class's <a href="https://penthepoet.tumblr.com/post/618580530859999232/takuto-maruki-theme-week">Takuto Maruki Theme Week</a> but figured I'd have absolutely no way to keep up with posting it on time because I'm horrible at posting themed stuff on time so this happened here lmao</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adachi Tohru/Maruki Takuto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>in another world, the jester and the councillor are dancing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In another world, it is not Akira Kurusu who steps up against Masayoshi Shido in that little quiet town. As a matter of fact, the Trickster to stand against him is Takuto Maruki - a smaller boy, a meeker boy, who takes the hand of the woman Shido’s trying to coerce and runs off with her.</p><p>He runs all through the town, finally finding a good hiding spot for her - the little hidden garden he’s used as his “sanctuary”-  before Shido himself walks up. “Insolent child! Where did you hide the woman?” Shido hisses.</p><p>Maruki shakes his head. “I’m n-not telling you,” he says, but his words will not come out as they should, and his voice falters. Something in him - the hidden power he will come to awaken, the inner voice of the Wild Card - whispers: <em>he needs more than that - make this unjust man pay.</em><br/>
 <br/>
“What a foolish, cowardly little brat you are. I’ll make you regret crossing me.” Shido moves to grab Maruki’s arm and all of a sudden, Maruki’s vision blurs. His body moves on impulse.</p><p>When Maruki comes back to himself, Shido is holding a hand to one of his eyes. Maruki’s hand is covered in blood. “O-Oh, shit…” Maruki stutters. All else passes by in a blur, and the next time Maruki comes back to himself, he’s being told he has to go to Tokyo on probation.</p>
<hr/><p>His first day of school in Tokyo is supposed to be uneventful - he wants it to be uneventful, even. Yet he finds himself in a strange palace, chained up in some dungeons with a blonde boy named Sakamoto who seems to stare at him oddly. </p><p>He may not know Sakamoto personally yet, but seeing the boy nearly executed by this strange Palace’s ruler, this Kamoshida, sends Maruki into another near-blind rage. His head begins to pump with energy and pulse with pain. That Wild Card voice inside him whispers: <em>do you seek the power to bring justice and happiness to a world so cruel and cold? do you seek to become greater than yourself? i will give you the power to eat gods and bring change into this unjust world, if you shall allow me.</em></p><p><strong>“Yes,”</strong> Maruki growls through the pain, and that voice laughs. </p><p>
  <em>then swear thee this vow - that thou shall take thy fear and burn it to make thy power! do not restrain thyself or thy true feelings any longer! run free and unchained, Trickster!</em>
</p><p>The mask on his face restrains and sticks to his skin, and he feels the rage in him - the confidence, the power, the boldness - surge forward. Ripping that golden mask off of his face feels like peeling off his own face, but he tears it off unafraid and roars with a new intensity, his eyes bright yellow. </p><p><br/>
“PERSONA!” Maruki hisses as he tears off his mask. Tentacles sprout out around him, a floating cross-like figure above him. His Persona, Azathoth, is bright and powerful and makes him feel nothing less than completely alive. It thrives and thrashes with the kind of power that Maruki himself could never think of. </p><p>Kamoshida orders enemies to attack, but Maruki looks in Kamoshida’s eyes and sees a new emotion in them, one that people have rarely looked at him with before - fear. </p><p>That look of fear in such an unjust man’s eyes makes Maruki smile. Part of him wonders why they have to fight, that they shouldn’t hurt people like this, but the rush of awakening his Persona is overpowering his common sense right now. </p><p>“Let’s go, Azathoth.” </p><p>Azathoth’s maniacal laugh shakes the room. <em>“Let us bring light to this world, no matter what...!”</em></p>
<hr/><p>And that is the beginning of Maruki’s fall into the unfamiliar but all too welcome profession of Phantom Thievery. </p><p>Infiltrating Palaces, taking hearts, fusing new Personas, fostering bonds with people he cares about - he’s a force of nature, a boy who loves too much and yet fights so fiercely when in the Metaverse. He spares some “useful” Shadows when he can, his distaste for violence often shining through his masked demeanor - but when he brings Shadows down, Azathoth always aims to kill. </p><p>His teammates always wince and look away, and Maruki can’t help the sinking feeling in his stomach. "I'm sorry - for how he gets," he often says.</p><p>Personas, after all, are a reflection of the self. It's easier to pretend like it's a part of him he doesn't know than to admit that deep down, Azathoth's intense nature is all too familiar to him.</p>
<hr/><p>It would make sense that, at some point, Takuto Maruki would meet his match - a person so diametrically opposite from him. </p><p>His class is going to the television station when they run into Tohru Adachi for the first time. </p><p>Adachi’s the same age as he is, a high school kid. His hair is gently groomed, his blue tie tucked in just so, his suit and his gloves fitting perfectly - and, of course, there’s a charming little grin on his face that makes him look like he can do no wrong. Adachi chuckles as he starts talking. </p><p>“Well, the Thieves - they’re kind of a little reckless, wouldn’t you say?” he says to the host with that unassuming grin. “They could be brainwashing people, erasing their will entirely. In that case, I’d say they should be brought before the law and brought to justice - I mean, come on, who knows what their justice could be warped towards in time?”</p><p>Though everything about Adachi’s posture right now is relaxed, Adachi speaks with utter conviction when he talks about the Thieves brainwashing people. Maruki clenches his fists. He knows Adachi wouldn’t understand about the Thieves. He knows this.</p><p>This is Adachi’s domain, and from what Maruki’s observed, Adachi knows just how to switch from formal to casual in a heartbeat to get everyone’s attention here. He’s got the host practically eating out of his hand. </p><p>In an environment like that, Maruki knows he shouldn’t draw attention to himself. He should just continue sitting down and being silent. But when it comes time for the host to pick out somebody in the crowd to speak with Adachi, it’s Maruki that gets picked, and Maruki’s honesty can’t hold anything back. </p><p>“What do you think about the Phantom Thieves?” the host’s assistant asks him softly, holding a microphone towards him. </p><p>Maruki stares Adachi in the eyes for the first time. Adachi meets his gaze. Maruki can see it in Adachi’s eyes - a hint of condescension and an unspoken phrase: <em>you’re not worth my time. </em></p><p>Maruki leans in towards the mic, his eyes growing more intense. “I would say they’re tackling the cases that police have been incapable in handling - that they’re doing more than the force in dealing justice.” </p><p>Now that gets Adachi’s attention. Adachi smiles that carefully calm little grin, leaning forward with a chuckle. His eyes spark with more than the “happy” expression they had a moment before. As a matter of fact, Maruki sees something more in them - the condescension has now been replaced with a small shard of <em>fire. </em></p><p>“Is that so?” Adachi purrs.</p><p>Maruki feels a little burst of confidence well up in him. His justice is right, he knows this, and while he may not be able to convince Adachi, he can at least convince the audience.  “Yes.”</p><p>The host crows about how interesting it is that this person’s input goes against what Adachi’s said, but Adachi keeps on staring. “Would you be alright answering a question or two more, then?”</p><p>“Gladly.”</p><p>Adachi looks over at Sakamoto, who’s sitting next to Maruki - then back to Maruki himself with a smirk.<br/>
“What if one of your friends - like the one sitting next to you - was given a ‘change of heart’ by the Thieves? We don’t know how they do it, after all - there could be all sorts of side effects or illicit activities like blackmail involved.”</p><p>“They only target the corrupt and unjust, like Kamoshida and Madarame.”</p><p>Adachi leans his head on his hand, still smiling that soft little grin. “And how can you be so certain of that? For all we know, they could be connected to the mental shutdown cases and thus harming innocent people. Then again, that’s just a personal conjecture of mine.”</p><p>The host begins talking with Adachi again, and the lady who was holding a microphone to Maruki’s face returns to her seat up front. </p><p>He tunes out of the interview from then on out right until they get up to leave. Maruki hears footsteps, and turns to find Adachi walking towards him.</p><p>“I have to hand it to you - you really did liven up that interview. Thank you for that - it gets awfully boring up on stage.” Adachi smiles at him. </p><p>“No problem,” Maruki sighs.</p><p>Adachi leans against the wall, staring at Maruki. “Actually, you... you’re interesting. Wanna meet up again soon? I have some time to kill in-between the interviews I have to do, and I’m keen to spend it on something that isn’t channelsurfing at home or some of the more boring cases I have to handle.”</p><p>“Sure... thing?”</p><p>“Let me get your phone number, then.” The look in Adachi’s eye nearly convinces Maruki that it’s for another reason, and Maruki stutters as he pulls out his phone. “U-uh, sure thing. Here’s my phone.” </p><p>Adachi examines it carefully. “Old phone, eh?”</p><p>“Hey, it’s what I can afford!”</p><p>Adachi clicks his tongue. “Hey, no need to get your panties in a twist. Here’s your phone back - what’s your name?”</p><p>“Takuto Maruki.”<br/>
“Tohru Adachi. Nice to meet you.”</p><p>Maruki shivers. Something about the way Adachi’s staring at him tells him that one way or another, Adachi definitely won’t be forgetting about him any time soon.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>